BILL NUMBER:S3950

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the education law, in relation to granting academic credit at
state operated institutions of the state university of New York and the
senior colleges of the city university of New York to veterans

PURPOSE:
Allows the granting of academic credit at state operated institutions
to veterans.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Adds new section 669-e to the education law which states
that State operated institutions must recognize courses and award
educational credits for courses that were part of a veteran's
military training or service if the courses meet the standards of the
American Council on Education or equivalent standards for awarding
academic credits.

Section 2: Specifies effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:
Military service members receive an education each day, whether it is
on the battlefield, through training, or through on the job
experience. Based on their military experiences and training, service
              

members may have college credit recommendations to apply toward a
degree requirement or program of study.

Earning college credit can be accomplished in a number of ways. The
military transcript of a service member is recognized by the American
Council on Education (ACE), the national accrediting agency, who
convenes teams of teaching faculty who travel to military
installations to evaluate military training courses and
occupation-based skills, knowledge, and abilities. These evaluations
are conducted to determine the learning acquired through these
experiences. Team members review training materials for programs of
instruction, including lesson plans, instructor materials, and
examination materials. The evaluators also interview service members,
their supervisors, and subject-matter specialists.

Review teams then determine if the demonstrated learning outcomes are
equivalent, in part or in whole, to the learning outcomes derived
from college level coursework. Equivalencies are then expressed as
credit recommendations that are quantified in terms of semester hours
and qualified in terms of course titles or academic areas.

ACE is the only higher education organization that represents
presidents and chancellors of all types of U.S. accredited,
degree-granting institutions: community colleges and four-year
institutions, private and public universities, and nonprofit and for

profit colleges. This cross-sector membership enables ACE to serve as
higher education's unifying voice.

For more than 60 years, ACE has reviewed and made credit
recommendations for thousands of college level courses offered by the
military services. In 1974, ACE started the evaluation of military
occupational specialties as well.

Institutions of higher learning operating in New York state often
accept the military transcript as a source of transfer credit. They
law should be clarified to state that they shall always accept those
courses which are certified by ACE as credit-worthy.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on
which it shall become a law.